A college counselor for every family.
What it will really cost, whether they can get in, and where they’d fit — answered from official data and your own child’s record. Any hour, no appointment.
- Included with every family account
- U.S. Department of Education data
- Every figure with its source
College Counselor
Elena · 11th grade
My daughter’s a junior. When are UF’s deadlines, and what does it cost to apply?
For fall 2027, UF has Early Decision on October 15, Early Action on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 15. The application fee is $30, a waiver is available, and UF takes the Common App.
admissions.ufl.edu · verified Sep 2026
Realistically, can she get in?
Her 1390 SAT sits inside UF’s middle range in the Department of Education data, so I’d call it a target school for her rather than a reach. Two things would strengthen her case this year…
College Scorecard · Elena’s record
Example conversation. UF’s dates and fee are from the verified data.
Create a free family account
One minute. No card.
Add your child
Or claim the record their teacher already published.
Ask anything
Any hour. Free accounts include 10 messages a month.
Ask it the things you’d actually ask.
Twenty things families need to know, with an example of each. In your own words.
What it will actually cost
“We make $90,000 a year. What would this school actually cost us?”
Whether they can get in
“Realistically, can she get into Michigan?”
Finding schools that fit
“What schools would suit a kid with these scores who wants to stay within four hours of home?”
Merit scholarships
“With a 3.6 GPA and a 1280 SAT, what would Texas Tech give her automatically?”
Financial aid and state programs
“Does our state have a program we should know about?”
Deadlines and applications
“When are UF’s deadlines, and is there an application fee?”
Whether it’s worth it
“Do graduates of this school actually earn more?”
Comparing two schools
“UT Austin or Texas A&M for engineering — how do they actually compare?”
SAT, ACT and test-optional
“When should she take the SAT, and how many times?”
Majors and careers
“She likes biology but doesn’t want to be a doctor. What does that lead to?”
Honors colleges and programs
“Is the honors college at a big state school worth applying to?”
What life is like there
“Is Greek life a big deal at this school?”
Close to home or far away
“What are the strongest options within a two-hour drive?”
Community college and transfer paths
“Could he start at community college and transfer? What does that actually save?”
Athletes and the arts
“She swims at a competitive level. How does that change where she should look?”
What to do this year
“He’s in 10th grade. What should we be doing this year?”
Starting in middle school
“She’s in 7th grade. Is there anything that actually matters yet?”
Contests and summer programs
“What contests or summer programs would suit her?”
Using the MeritBoard record
“How do we use her MeritBoard record in an application?”
First in the family to go
“Nobody in our family has done this. Where do we even start?”
It answers from data, not from guesswork.
An answer from memory isn’t good enough for a decision this big. The Counselor looks it up — and shows you where.
Official federal data
Admission rates, test score ranges, cost of attendance, net price for your family’s income, debt, graduation rates and what graduates earn — from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, for every college in the country.
Verified scholarships and deadlines
Merit scholarship grids, application deadlines, fees and state aid programs for 69 colleges across Texas, Florida and Georgia — every figure checked against the school’s or state’s own page and shown with its link and the date it was verified.
Live search
For what the data doesn’t cover — campus culture, Greek life, safety, a specific program — with the source cited and labelled as from the web.
Your child’s own record
Their results, their MeritScore and their portfolio — so the answer is about your child, not a generic student.
It won’t pretend to know things it doesn’t.
What it does
- Gives honest estimates — reach, target or likely — with its reasoning.
- Says where every figure comes from, with a verification date on the scholarship and deadline data it has for Texas, Florida and Georgia colleges.
- Tells you when something needs checking on the school’s own site.
What it won’t do
- It won’t guarantee admission anywhere. Nobody can.
- It doesn’t guess at deadlines or scholarship amounts. If it can’t confirm one, it says so.
- Nothing you ask it is shared with colleges.
It already knows your child.
Because the Counselor can see your child’s MeritBoard record — their results, their MeritScore, their portfolio — you never have to explain who you’re asking about. Ask “where should she apply?” and it already knows what she’s good at.
See what a MeritBoard record looks like →Included with every family account.
Every free family account includes 10 Counselor messages a month. MeritBoard Premium makes it unlimited for all of your children.
Compare Family and Premium →Questions families ask
Is this a real counselor?+
No — and it doesn’t replace one. It’s a computer that reads official college data and your child’s record, available whenever you have a question. Use it alongside your school counselor, not instead of one.
What does it cost?+
Every free family account includes 10 Counselor messages a month. MeritBoard Premium ($12/mo) makes it unlimited for your whole family.
Does it work for younger kids?+
Yes. The most useful questions start in middle school — what to take, what to try, what to build toward.
Where does the data come from?+
The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, scholarship and deadline data verified against each school’s official pages, and live search for the rest.
Is my child’s information safe?+
Yes. Nothing you ask the Counselor is shared with colleges, and we never train AI on student work.
Start asking.
Create a free family account and put your first question to the Counselor in about a minute.
Create free account